Traditionally, ophthalmic devices, such as a hydrogel lens, an intraocular lens or a punctal plug, include corrective, cosmetic or therapeutic qualities. A contact lens, for example, may provide vision correcting functionality, cosmetic enhancement, and/or therapeutic effects. Each function is provided by a characteristic of the contact lens. For example, a refractive quality may provide a vision corrective function, a pigment may provide a cosmetic enhancement, and an active agent may provide a therapeutic functionality.
More recently, novel ophthalmic devices based on energized ophthalmic inserts have been described. These devices may use the energization function to power active optical components. Moreover, as electronic devices continue to be miniaturized, it is becoming increasingly more likely to create wearable or embeddable microelectronic devices for ophthalmic lenses with various functionalities. For example, an ophthalmic lens may incorporate a lens assembly having an electronically adjustable focus to augment or enhance performance of the eye. In another example, either with or without adjustable focus, a wearable ophthalmic lens may incorporate electronic sensors to detect concentrations of particular chemicals in the ocular fluid of a user. However, the use of embedded electronics in ophthalmic lenses introduces challenges including, for example, a potential requirement for communication with the electronics, for internal and external sensing and/or monitoring, and for control of the electronics and the overall function of the ophthalmic lens, all of which must take place using relatively low power applications due to volume, and area constrains.
Systems which comprise multiple sensors may require an added degree of complexity but may also include added functionality, convenience, and other parameters important to users. Rather than relying on a single input to determine an output, multi-sensor systems may improve reliability, functionality, safety, and convenience, for example, by reducing false positive and false negative determinations for the output. Systems which consider multiple sensor inputs before determining the need for state change are common in other fields. As such, enabling systems that are based on multiple sensors for an ophthalmic lens can result in more energy efficient, safe, reliable, and useful ophthalmic lenses.
Therefore, there is a need for methods to activate and control operations of a processor controlled ophthalmic lens in a safe, personalized, and energy efficient manner.